Die Toten Hosen is a punk band from Düsseldorf (NRW), Germany. They are one… Read Full Bio ↴Die Toten Hosen is a punk band from Düsseldorf (NRW), Germany. They are one of very few German-language acts who have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.

The band formed out of the ashes of punk band, ZK, founded 1978. The members of Die Toten Hosen (literally "The Dead Trousers" in English; "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "lifeless", "boring", or "nothing going on") are Campino (Andreas Frege), Kuddel (Andreas von Holst), Vom (Stephen George Ritchie), Andi (Andreas Meurer) and Breiti (Michael Breitkopf). Vom replaced Wölli as the drummer in 1999 (Wölli's untimely departure from the band was due to injuries caused by a car accident), who himself had replaced Trini in 1985 and is still an honorary member of the band; Trini became the band's manager.

The band has existed for over 20 years, and their songs' focus gradually shifted from funny and nonsensical to serious; the songs from their first LP were mostly about having fun, but by the end of the 1980s they were focusing more on political and social issues such as racism.

Part of the folklore surounding the band is the story that in their early days they played for free on private birthday parties or similar events. However only under the conditions that the host provided for unlimited beer supply and paid for all damages caused by the band.

The debut single "Wir sind bereit" ("We are ready") was released in 1982, and was followed by their first album, "Opel-Gang", the next year. In 1988, Die Toten Hosen released the LP "Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau". It refers to the movie A Clockwork Orange based on the book by Anthony Burgess. In 1993, Frank Castorf produced a German theater version of the book, in which Die Toten Hosen performed as actors and musicians.

Their 1000th concert was on 28th June 1997, in the Düsseldorfer Rheinstadium, and was attended by more than 60,000 fans. A Dutch girl died in the crowd; after various talks with security and police, the band decided to play soft songs until the end, in order not to panic the crowd. Later the band produced the song "Alles ist Eins" in memoriam for the Dutch girl.

Die Toten Hosen have collaborated with numerous other musicians (like Bad Religion, AC/DC, U2, Rolling Stones); they are also one of the few German punk bands popular outside of Germany (esp. in South America, Australia, eastern Europe) other notable bands being Die Ärzte and Rammstein.

As longtime fans of the their local soccer team Fortuna Düsseldorf they have been sponsoring the club from 2001 to 2003.

After their Unplugged concert in the end of 2005 they've taken a time-out. But they disclaimed rumors, that this is the end of the band.

In 2008 they released the Album "In aller Stille.

In 2012, Die Toten Hosen released their album Ballast der Republik. A special edition includes a bonus CD with cover versions of songs that influenced the band. On 26 April 2016, it was announced that former drummer Wolfgang Rohde had died of cancer.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Die Toten Hosen Lyrics

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We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year

Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin
Good tidings for Christmas

And a happy new year

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year

And have yourself a merry little Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas night

Overall Meaning

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a festive and widely recognized Christmas song that captures the spirit of the season. The song starts with the repetition of "We wish you a merry Christmas" that sets the mood for a joyful holiday season. This phrase acts as both an opening and closing line of the song, framing the positive messages conveyed throughout the track. The repetition of the phrase also helps it become an earworm, making it a perfect singalong tune for families and friends.

The opening verse of the song introduces the themes of kinship and goodwill by saying "good tidings we bring to you and your kin." This highlights the importance of care and love during the holiday season, and how important it is to spend it with those we love. The next verse reinforces this message by wishing a happy new year and spreading well wishes for the upcoming year. These verses encapsulate the positive spirit of the song and encourage listeners to spread positivity throughout the holiday season.

The final lines of the song, "And have yourself a merry little Christmas, Have yourself a merry little Christmas night," end the song on a high note. The lyrics reinforce the importance of enjoying the holiday season by urging listeners to have a good time and make merry. Overall, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a song that conveys an optimistic message of camaraderie, cheer, and love during the holiday season.

Line by Line Meaning

We wish you a merry Christmas
Our desire is for you to have a joyful Christmas celebration

We wish you a merry Christmas
We hope your holiday season is filled with happiness

We wish you a merry Christmas
Our heartfelt wish is for you to have a wonderful time during this festive season

And a happy new year
May your upcoming year be filled with joy and success

Good tidings we bring
We come bearing positive news and blessings for you

To you and your kin
To you and your family

Good tidings for Christmas
We bring positive news and blessings for the Christmas season

And a happy new year
May your upcoming year be filled with joy and success

We wish you a merry Christmas
Our desire is for you to have a joyful Christmas celebration

We wish you a merry Christmas
We hope your holiday season is filled with happiness

We wish you a merry Christmas
Our heartfelt wish is for you to have a wonderful time during this festive season